As cooperation advances and with a shared position on climate change, China-EU relations are likely to maintain a momentum of steady growth, and cooperation will become increasingly important in this world of increased uncertainties about the US.

While the new French leader will focus an enormous amount of resources on domestic reform, he will also try to accomplish something big in foreign affairs. As a pro-EU president of France, Macron will make the restart of the Franco-German engine his primary task.

China wishes both the EU and the UK prosperity and success in the future. With Brexit having little relevance in China-EU relations, it should not become a distraction in developing and improving ties.

Longstanding frictions between London and Brussels came to a head with security and immigration issues. In the final analysis, the EU needs to bring itself closer to the masses, and respond positively to such public concerns as employment and security. That is the only way for the EU to retain support from member countries and sustain its vitality.

The embrace between London and Washington is political, while the London-Beijing connection is economic, which means both can operate at once. That China and the UK, with divergent political systems and at different stages of development, could model their relations on the basis of mutual respect and win-win cooperation should be a source of inspiration for Sino-US relations.